Miguel B. Hobbs’ Post

It’s Different This Time For Bombardier Bombardier has long had outsized ambitions, best exemplified by its near-death experience in the mid-2010s following years of bruising competition with Boeing and Airbus. A timely bailout by the Quebec government, for whom Bombardier is a regional as well as national champion, was the first step on the long road to recovery. Nearly a decade on, and Bombardier has its mojo back. The company is consistently profitable, with strong demand for its business jets. It is on track to deliver 150-155 jets in 2024. Activity from the American market remains strong, while the company is seeing activity in the Middle East and Asia, and there are signs of an uptick in Europe, CEO Eric Martel said during a first-quarter earnings call. In an April 15 report, National Bank of Canada Financial Market Research (NBCFM) said even if new jet orders slow sharply, it still expects Bombardier’s $14.2 billion backlog to support the company’s delivery ramp from 138 jets in 2023 to 150-155 this year, with further increases in 2025 possible. In the aftermarket, Bombardier is swinging for the fences—and so far, knocking it out of the park. It reached a 46% market share target for addressable maintenance services of its business jets in 2024, a year ahead of schedule, and will likely surpass 50% next year, with a goal of 70% by 2030. Of the major business jet makers, only market leader Gulfstream has a bigger share of that market. The question now is if Bombardier’s growing defense foray will complement its existing business jet products. During Bombardier’s first-quarter earnings call, Martel described 2023 as “a banner year for Bombardier defense.” He cited deliveries to the U.S. Air Force as part of the BACN [U.S. Air Force Battlefield Airborne Communications Node Program] and Saab as part of the GlobalEye Solution for the Swedish Air Force. Further, in December 2023, Bombardier Defense won a firm-fixed-price contract to supply at least one Global 6500 jet to the U.S. Army as a prototype airframe for a new spy plane program known as High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES). In early June, Bombardier Defense and its German partners Hensoldt and Lufthansa Technik Defense announced modification work in Wichita to integrate the Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System (Pegasus) signal-intelligence (Sigint) system on the Bombardier Global 6000 jet had been successful and would be completed by the Canadian company in Hamburg. Since defense programs often take a long time before they come to fruition, investors will have to be patient. These are still early days for Bombardier’s defense expansion, but so far, they seem willing to take Martel at his word. In a best-case scenario, Bombardier will evolve into a more diversified aircraft manufacturer better able to compete against bigger and better capitalized competitors. https://lnkd.in/ghD8pTbU

Cool plane, but not much of a chance of it becoming part of the DoD. Too bad, as we need all of the above. Couple of thoughts: 1. Definitely with the right size buy this is a good option. I love the Herc, fantastic for so many missions, but the advantages of the C-390 are: - Faster with a similar but slightly larger payload. - Low cost per flying hour. We can screw that up with poor mismanagement, but as it is, it is an economical aircraft. - With speed comes fewer hours of flight per pound of cargo. That matters on so many levels. 2. We're not making any more C-17s, and while this cannot handle the C-17/C-5 outsized cargo, it can spell the large aircraft fleet and deliver with the same speed for many missions that right now are only Strat lift. 3. The Defense Industrial base is unacceptable. With a US partner, this would be another assembly line building aircraft. 4. The training arm of the Air Force would make this harder than it needs to be, lard up a syllabus trying to graduate co-pilots as experts. They are learning co-pilots. Let them learn on the road. 5. Even with the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, we don't have enough aircraft. We can talk autonomous drone cargo carriers all day long, and that may be a part of the puzzle, but it is not enough. #AirPower #CRAF #C390 #AMC #TRANSCOM

Why is Lockheed Martin flying high right now? Well, they had a cracking Q2, all things considered. And it may also have something to do with the resumption of deliveries of the world's most advanced fighter aircraft after a lengthy pause. Excerpts from my story for Aviation Week Network below: Lockheed Martin not only beat Wall Street’s profit and revenue expectations in the second quarter, but also resumed delivery of F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft vexed by problems with its Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrade. From July 2023 until the middle of this month, the Pentagon had refused delivery of the world’s most advanced combat aircraft because of unstable TR-3 software and delayed production of important hardware for the upgrade. Deliveries finally resumed on July 19 as the Department of Defense decided not to wait any longer for the aircraft, settling for an interim version of the TR-3 upgrade that it will use until the full version is ready. In an earnings call, Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet says, “The TR-3 upgrade and further Block 4 enhancements represent a critical evolution in capability and their full development remains a top priority for us.” TR-3, Block 4 and additional software updates for the F-35 will ensure that the fighter jet “remains an effective deterrent to aggression and the cornerstone of joint all-domain operations now and decades into the future.” Taiclet says that Lockheed continues to produce the F-35 at a rate of 156 aircraft per year and expects to deliver 75 to 110 of the fighter jets in the second half of 2024. Despite some uncertainty around the precise number of F-35s that will be delivered this year, investors have reason to be pleased with Lockheed’s second-quarter performance. Earnings per share (EPS) of $7.11 well exceeded the FactSet consensus estimate of $6.46 a share, while revenue of $18.1 billion beat Wall Street’s expectation of $17.05 billion. #lockheedmartin #aerospace #defense #fighterjet #aviation #aircraft #manufacturing #military #nationalsecurity #f35 https://lnkd.in/ezs_eYcU

Dominating the skies of 21st-century combat, the F-35 stands unrivaled in its technological prowess. This cutting-edge fighter jet owes its dominance not just to raw power and speed, but to a complex array of advanced technologies. Among these, EMI shielding plays a crucial yet overlooked role. Our featured article examines the world of electromagnetic interference and its impact on both military and civilian aircraft, uncovering how this invisible guardian helps keep the F-35 – and the skies – safe and secure 👇 https://lnkd.in/efk62efc #EMIshielding #aerocraftmanufacture #aerospaceindustry #aerospaceanddefense

#Digitaltransformation is reshaping #aerospace and #defense quality processes to enhance efficiency and reduce risk. Discover the importance of a data-driven #quality culture at our webinar hosted by Aviation Week Network on Thursday, March 28, at 2:00 pm ET. https://lnkd.in/eTVYWRT4

Another great aircraft design that continues to be easily upgradeable with newer technology inserts. Another 55 years? Also, very few can afford the expense of a year’s training on the new aircraft that due to their costs/performance have more simulator training time.

The Pratt & Whitney F135 is a cutting-edge afterburning turbofan engine that powers the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a fifth-generation multirole fighter aircraft. Derived from the F119 engine used in the F-22 Raptor, the F135 delivers exceptional performance with a maximum thrust of 43,000 lbf (191 kN) with afterburner. This powerful engine features a two-shaft design with a three-stage fan and six-stage high-pressure compressor, enabling the F-35 to achieve supersonic speeds and perform advanced maneuvers. The F135 comes in three variants to suit different F-35 models: the F135-PW-100 for conventional takeoff and landing, the F135-PW-400 for carrier operations, and the F135-PW-600 for short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities. With its advanced integrated engine control system, world-class thermal management, and unmatched low-observable signature, the F135 represents the pinnacle of fighter engine technology, providing the F-35 with unrivaled performance and capability in the most demanding operational environment. #military #defense #defence #aerospace #aviation #aircraft #aircrafts #airplane #airplanes #aviationlovers #militaryaviation #militaryaircraft #fighterjet #engineering #technology #militarytechnology #defensetechnology #defenseinnovation #defenseindustry #airforce #pilots #F35

This article blames the Air Force, Boeing and Lockheed for the possible demise of NGAD. But it sidesteps around the true incompetent idiots that should be blamed if NGAD is not developed and built: The US Congress. Note the many comments about budget uncertainties. By playing games with defense spending in the never ending game of chicken, the two parties within Congress (Democrats vs Republicans) seem to never consider what is needed for Defense. Defense according to the US Congress just needs to be happy with whatever crumbs Defense gets, regardless of what Defense needs. As for the question about what should be built? That is a very good question and one this article did bring up. Will NGAD continue as it is (200 manned/400 unmanned) airframes? Or maybe a mothership (C17 size) controlling up to 50 combat drones? Or something in between? Whatever, decisions need to be made while the US has a fighter production capability and the industry does not dry up more than it has already. That is (another point in this article) if the clowns at Boeing/Lockheed get their act together.

This is excellent analysis from Jai Malik and it’s heartening to see people who understand technology development in a venture capital context take sight of the beliguered aerospace supply chain. I’m a tech sector guy who pivoted to aerospace four years ago. Permit me to add my own observations about what ails the aerospace sector as it relates to its antiquated supply chain: 1. Consolidation of companies producing key tier two and below subsystems and core components has created natural disincentives to innovate, as these rolled up conglomerates respond primarily to quarterly earnings and can’t get off that carousel. This is a competition gap. 2. Too many small businesses trying to make inroads with technology, product, or manufacturing process innovations are good at the technical aspects of innovation but poor at building a business that can scale. They can win SBIR grants but don’t know how to go to market. This is a capabilities gap. 3. For the few upstarts with good technology, enough business savvy to make a go, and incentive to innovate, the valley of death looms. The deck is stacked against small businesses when it comes to winning development contracts, but it’s even more unforgiving for startups vying for aerospace production contracts. Without access to meaningful capital, this gap is extremely difficult to bridge, and the current venture environment doesn’t understand or value this opportunity. This is a capital gap. There are more challenges, including the fact that many aerospace startups pull their talent from primes or OEMs and struggle to establish legitimate disruption culture and got to market strategies that can challenge the status quo because their vessels have been filled by legacy thinking. These challenges threaten national security and American dominance in civil aviation. The good news is unlocking innovation in the supply chain would not only kick off a new era of American air dominance, but also a new golden age of American manufacturing.

Interesting read from FlightGlobal on Bell's implementation of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) into development of Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Rotorcraft manufacturer Bell Flight continues to progress development work on the US Army’s next-generation tiltrotor, with delivery of the first prototype still expected in 2026. Still known only as the #FLRAA, the new craft aims to provide drastic improvements in speed and range versus the army’s current troop carrier. The US Army’s commitment to MOSA will provide commanders with faster fielding of innovative, threat-based capabilities with commonality across mission systems. Army Futures Command I Army Futures Command Team I PEO Aviation I U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command I U.S. Army DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center I U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence